


Change of Pace

by moodiful819



Category: Naruto
Genre: Ambiguous Relationships, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, F/M, Fluff, Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-16
Updated: 2015-02-16
Packaged: 2018-03-13 05:02:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3368813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moodiful819/pseuds/moodiful819
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Sakura is insecure and Kakashi is surprised.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Change of Pace

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [In which Kakashi inspects Sakura’s new seal.](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/98633) by Kakasaku Anonymous. 



"…I look weird, don’t I?"

The question stood alone amongst the shuffling sounds of the hospital lobby. Sasuke and Naruto were getting checked over while Sai had been sent to retrieve Yamato, leaving Kakashi and Sakura behind to do as they had always done, which was wait. Wait for things to get better. Wait for the cracks to start healing.

But the wait would soon be over. Team 7, at long last, was going to be reunited in whole.

As they waited, Kakashi turned to look at the only female student he’d ever had. Sakura’s words still hung in the air: awkward, self-conscious, and scared, and he didn’t quite know how to take it. He’d just returned from an alternate universe. “Weird” was a relative term.

But she didn’t know that, taking his silence for an affirmation of her claim.

"I’m a freak," she suddenly declared, burying her face in her hands. Hands that could tear the earth apart like paper if she felt like it. Hands that could save thousands of lives, and did over and over again.

Those same hands lingered on the newly-formed diamond on her forehead. “It’s like a bad joke. Like a temporary tattoo I’m stuck with forever. It’s like I’m Sailor Moon, but my tiara only formed halfway. Now I have this huge thing in the middle of my huge forehead, and everyone’s going to laugh at me,” she told him, her hands held limply in her lap. They both knew it was a lie; she knew the Yin Seal was something she was proud of. It was the culmination of years of hard work and great skill. No one would laugh at her for it, and if they did, they were a fool and would suffer its consequence…

The thoughts still lingered in her mind though, and while she probably wanted to, her gloves remained a dry, dusty black. She was older, and with the war fresh on her mind and her hands, too sober to cry. 

She looked at him, haunted by playground barbs. Despite having just crawled through hell and back, it seemed it was the kicks from her Academy-days that hurt the most, and suddenly he remembered a tiny note in her file mentioning being teased at school about her forehead when she was younger, and suddenly it made sense.

When the realization struck, she shrank from him as if sensing it. As if steeling her nerves for his opinion of her. For his judgment of her because no one had really seen it in the battle and he would be the first to judge her new look…of her new worth…

There was a struggle at first when he caught her face. He’d sandwiched her between his palms, pressing slightly inward to keep his hold steadfast while she tried to wiggle and squirm her way back out like a goldfish caught between two stones. Her cheeks puffed out under the pressure; heat warmed his skin through the worn fabric of his gloves as he turned her this way and that, regarding her with a critical eye. She looked at him with impatience, but indulged him all the same—this was Kakashi-sensei, and regardless of how crappy of a teacher he’d been, he was still her first teacher, after all.

Still, not even her patience could remain that indulgent, and she finally looked away, embarrassed, but also resigned. His handling of her was nothing more than a drawn-out farce. Despite her new power, she was still nothing but a joke to the older man and the name of Team 7, and began to gently pull away…

The press of something scratchy to her new mark made her stop. Looking up, she saw Kakashi’s lips hovering by her forehead and shifted her stunned gaze up to find him blinking rapidly at her widow’s peak. Apparently he was just as surprised by his action as she was.

However, it was too late to brush it off. They’d both seen what had happened, and it was too well-known to avoid it. Kakashi would have to speak. He would have to break the silence.

His face was unreadable as he debated his next move, and the hands that had hung loosely at her wrists were now tucked neatly in her lap. Her legs were together, and her back was straight; she waited with apprehension and stared at the green sea of his flak vest.

His hand landed on top of her head, calloused, warm, and reassuring.

"…I like your new look. Team 7 never looked better," he said at last, and she knew he was being sincere.

Her smile curved fondly into the hand still cupping her face. 

_"Thanks sensei."_


End file.
